To Change You
by hope-is-4ever
Summary: Meryl finds her life torn away from her in one night. Now she must find a way to live with the cause of her misery. Knives. KxM
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I have another story going, but this idea just wouldn't leave me alone. This fic is darker than my other one (rated higher too). I thought I'd try something different and here it is! I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 1: Late Night Meeting

In this world vampires were not merely myth, they were as real as you or I.

Just like in human society there were rich vampires, poor vampires, and those who could be considered middle class. Typically, the vampires of lower classes pledged their allegiance to the ruling vampire in the area.

The rules guiding the vampires were set by these lords. The most important habit of the vampire, the feeding of human blood, had an especially strict set of guidelines. While the vampires were stronger, having more physical strength and abilities far beyond that of a human, they were still smaller in number than the mortals.

Centuries ago wars had been fought between the two species, resulting in a high loss of casualties on both sides. Back then, vampires freely fed off of humans, draining them dry in every encounter. The mortals, not liking this wolf and sheep relationship, decided to destroy the vampires that were ruthlessly killing them. Thus, a great war began and continued on for many centuries, neither gaining victory over the other.

In those days, persecutions were at their height on both sides and terror was a common feeling. No one but the bravest of humans dared move about at night, and vampires had to find the safest of places to rest during the day. Any dealings with the other people were met with lynching mobs and the eventual death of both parties.

Finally, not able to take the senseless violence any longer, both sides came together in a peace treaty. In this pact humans would no longer be preyed upon by the vampires. From then on, instead of a vampire draining a victim dry they would drink blood donated by humans. Mortals would donate a certain amount of blood each year, depending on how many vampires there were in the area, and this would sustain them.

New technology had been developed that could allow for blood to be kept for long periods of time, but still have the life-sustaining effect for a vampire. With the treaty, this technique was now utilized to its fullest.

Now, not everyone was agreeing to this pact. There were people on both sides that were fully against making any agreement with the other.

These people were in the minority, many more being fed up with the feuding, and the treaty was carried out.

That had been over five-hundred years ago and today both species could say that the times were good. The blood donations were given in sufficient amounts and humans were no longer prey to the creatures of the night.

The vampire and human lords were in charge of making sure the treaty was followed down to the letter, and for the most part it was obeyed. There were a few small instances that would arise from time to time, but nothing major had occurred.

One thing that had not changed after the Treaty of Blood, for so it was called, was the racism between the two peoples. Vampires still took humans as mates, but to do so would alienate the human from the rest of the mortal population. There were certain areas that only vampires or humans should congregate in, for fear of a good beating at the least, and typically there were shops that specifically catered to each species. Things such as these, and more, were common in any town that contained each people.

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In a certain manor, far from any village or town, there was a young child who was a maid. This manor belonged to one of the vampire lords described earlier. She'd been raised in the house since birth, her parents having died in an epidemic. Her name was Meryl Stryfe.

The little girl wasn't what you would call a beauty, but neither was she ugly. She had raven-black hair, was a tad smaller than was usual for her age, and had an open face so that everyone could always tell what she was thinking. The only thing that set her apart from a normal girl was her eyes. They were a gray-violet that seemed to darken when she was angry.

The owner of the large house she lived in rarely visited, coming only once every ten years. Even then master Knives only stayed for a few months. Most of his time was spent at his other estates. The young girl had been born two years after the master's last visit and had never laid eyes on him.

Not much was known about the Master, as the servants called him. The house itself was thought to be more than a thousand years old and he had been the one to build it. Another fact that the staff liked to talk of was that they had never seen him with a bride. Usually vampires of such status had many, but never had they seen him with one.

Now, one night, the child was walking the halls of the mansion. She'd gotten up in the middle of the night for a glass of water, but she'd lost her way on the return trip. Usually she always knew where she was, but tonight it felt as if there were doors where there shouldn't be and that new hallways had appeared out of nowhere.

The eight-year-old was starting to become frantic when a little patch of light caught her attention. A door up ahead was slightly ajar and a glow could be seen through the crack. She walked slowly up to the opening and poked her head into the room.

The room was unlike any she'd been allowed in. This one held strange, but expensive objects. The floor was covered in rugs and the walls were full of rows upon rows of books. She'd never seen so many volumes in one area. Furniture in the room was meager, though, comprising of only a highback chair and a little table. These were sitting in front of a roaring fire, the only light in the entire room.

The child thought the room was empty for a moment, but as she took a closer look at the chair, she saw that there was an arm on the armrest. Her plan had been to ask for some help from whoever was in the room, but the eerie feeling she got from the person in the chair changed her mind. With her decision made the little one tried to take a step back into the hallway. Much to her terror, her feet wouldn't budge! No matter how hard she tried, they wouldn't obey her command to move!

She was about to cry out to the person in the chair, regardless of their creepiness, when her feet finally moved. Unfortunately, they were moving in the wrong direction. Instead of going into the hallway, she found herself being propelled forward, into the room.

The little girl was terrified and tears were falling down her small cheeks and her eyes were squeezed shut. Soon she felt herself stop and she opened one eye to see where her legs had taken her. Both eyes flew open when she realized that she was now standing in front of the chair, her back to the fire.

Indeed, there was a person sitting on the piece of furniture. A man, to be more specific. He had cropped blonde hair with the coldest looking set of blue eyes she'd ever seen. The fire behind her was reflected in them, as he wasn't looking at her, and she felt as if she would be seared by their gaze if he looked her way.

He wore a silk shirt that was partially unbuttoned, with silk pants to match. His feet were bare. In one hand he held a wine glass, lazily held in midair. He seemed to be absentmindedly swishing around liquid in glass. If he was standing, she guessed that he would be very tall and by his appearance he looked no more than twenty-five years of age.

As she finished her cursory examination of him, the movement of the glass suddenly stopped.

Her eyes had been on the red liquid and when it stopped moving she quickly turned her gaze toward the man in the chair. As she watched him, she saw only his eyes swivel until they were looking right at her. Only his eyes moved, his face didn't even twitch. The girl shivered at the creep picture it made.

This entire episode was taking its toll on the little girl's nerves and she was trembling where she stood.

Suddenly, the man before her spoke, "What are you doing here?"

His voice was as cold as his eyes and she shivers yet again.

After taking a few gulps of air, she gathered enough courage to answer him. "I...I was lost."

He narrowed his eyes at her and asked another question. "You are trembling. What are you afraid of?"

The little girl almost didn't hear his question, so surprised with another discovery was she. As the man had spoken, the child had seen that his two canines were longer than the rest of his dentures, just like a vampire's were.

A growl from him broke her out of her trance and she quickly answered truthfully. "You."

This reply got a mirthless chuckle out of him, the sound sending chills down her spine. He abruptly set down the glass on the table beside him and returned his gaze to her.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked as he leaned back in the chair, resting his chin on a palm.

The interrogation was taking its toll on what was left of the little girl's courage. This time she only managed to shake her head 'no'.

He didn't tell her either, only seemed to inspect her with his eyes. Slowly, he stretched out a hand and gently cupped her face.

The child looked at him apprehensively as he stroked her cheek with his hand. Then he moved his exploration of her person to her hair, and down to her lower back. Throughout this entire time she was standing as still as a statue, her legs still unmoving and the rest of her petrified by fear.

Suddenly, in one quick movement he used the hand behind her to take her onto his lap.

The girl was startled by this unexpected move and gasped. She also found that she could now move her entire body and tried to jump off of his lap. By wrapping both his arms around her, he trapped her body against him.

Though her body was restrained, the child still squirmed and struggled, trying to get out of his hold.

His voice drifted down to her, "Calm down, child. I'm not going to harm you."

The authoritativeness in his tone told her that he would not tolerate her struggles any longer and she wisely stopped.

After that he didn't say anything and turned his attention back to the merrily crackling fire. She was sitting sideways in his lap and watched the fire being reflected in his eyes, once again.

What seemed like hours later, it didn't seem as if he was going to do anything and she relaxed her rigid body a little. She glanced around the room again and took furtive glances at him every now and then, but all he did was stare into the flames.

Eventually, the late night started to catch up to the small child. It had to have been well after two o'clock in the morning and the stressful night had made her even more tired.

A few yawns escaped her and she couldn't help but notice how warm the man was. He also smelled nice, like the old books that she so loved to read. She unconsciously snuggled closer into his silk shirt, and consequently his chest, as drowsiness fell heavily upon her. No matter how hard she tried, her eyelids eventually closed and she fell into a heavy slumber.

As she drifted, she didn't notice that his arms had tightened around her in response to her cuddling.

The man moved his gaze from the fire and looked down at her. This time his eyes held a hint of curiosity and he silently looked her over as she slept.

A few minutes later, he stood slowly, careful not to wake her, and walked over to the door. Standing there was a servant and he silently handed the girl to him. They exchanged a short glance before the servant bowed, careful of the child in his arms, and left, taking the girl back to her room.


	2. A Wolf's Visit

A/N: The next installment of my new story. I want to thank those who gave me such nice reviews. I wasn't sure how well this story would be received and I'm glad that people like it. I'll be putting up a chapter every two weeks until I run out of them. That will, thankfully, take awhile. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Oops! I forgot to do this on my first chapter. I don't own any part of Trigun. All I can claim is this story.

Chapter 2: A Wolf's Visit

The next day the girl awoke and as she remembered the night's adventure, she had to wonder if it was a dream. After all, she had nothing to prove that it had happened. After some debating on her part, the child decided that it had to have been a dream; but then, how had she made it back to her room?

She had no choice but to shrug it off; there were chores to be done and she had a busy day ahead of her. As a child, she wasn't assigned very much to do, and what she was given were only small tasks.

A typical day for her consisted of washing the dishes, sweeping, and dusting out the many rugs that littered the mansion. Sometimes, though, she was allowed to help the gardeners with their work. She was very fond of plants and especially loved to care for the bed of violets. They were her favorite flowers, since they matched her eyes.

That night the little girl found that she couldn't sleep, thoughts of what could have happened last night floating around in her head. Eventually, she left her room and walked out onto the small porch off of the servants' quarters. She only wore a small, white nightgown, since she didn't plan on being out for long.

From the porch she could see that the moon was out and full tonight, bathing everything in its light. She could even see her favorite flowers from this position.

Suddenly, a noise startled her from her revery and she looked around herself. Upon glancing down from the sky, she looked straight into a pair of icy-blue eyes, very much like those of the man from last night. The only difference being these eyes belonged to those of an enormous, tan-colored wolf.

Her eyes grew large and she was frozen for a second. Gathering her wits again, she attempted to move away very slowly, but the wolf gave a warning growl and she stopped her retreat.

The wolf leaned forward, and she closed her eyes and gulped, thinking that it was going to eat her. After a few minutes of having her eyes closed, she cracked one open to look at what was going on.

The wolf was still face to face with her, but he appeared to be sniffing her, its nostrils flaring.

She opened both eyes and watched as the wolf moved back its head and kneeled down in front of her. Since the child was on the top step, that made her about a head taller than it.

She gave the wolf a questioning look, wondering what it was doing, what it wanted.

The wolf gave an impatient growl when she just sat there and shuffled itself toward her a little. It was apparent that the wolf wanted her to climb onto its massive back.

The girl took a large gulp of air, and gathered enough courage to slowly reach out and touch the wolf. If the wolf wanted her to ride him, then she didn't have much of a choice. He could have eaten her by now, but he hadn't. So she trusted him enough to not kill her now.

He hadn't bitten anything off when she brushed her hand on the fur on his back. That gave her the strength to lift herself up and throw a leg over to the other side of his back. Soon she was sitting atop him, trying to make sure that she wasn't in a position that was irritating the wolf she was on.

Once she was situated the wolf rose, with her securely on its back, and set off toward the woods nearby.

The child was not at all comfortable with the thought of going into the dark woods with the wolf, and she wondered where exactly he was taking her. Unfortunately, all she was able to do was hang on as he increased his speed.

The wolf had started off in a slow trot and when he reached the woods, had suddenly picked up a greater amount of speed. The woods around them appeared to be a blur of green, brown, and black.

The girl held on for dear life, her hands and face buried into the ruff of his collar. The fast speeds frightened her at first, but the thrill of the wind running through her hair brought a feeling of exhilaration.

The wolf chose that moment to move even faster and she couldn't help but laugh out loud. His gait was smooth and she felt as if she was flying.

"Faster! Faster!" she yelled into the air. Her hair was free and flying behind her and she was immensely happy when he seemed to listen to her and picked up his pace further.

By this time they were deep in the woods and the creature began to slow down. She felt a bit of disappointment that the ride was nearing its end, but another sound soon caught her attention. It was the sound of crashing water, and she again wondered where the wolf was taking her.

Her question was soon answered as they came out of the woods and into the most beautiful clearing the girl had ever seen.

In the open area was a waterfall that fell twenty feet into a small pond below. From there a brook meandered its way through the plants that littered the meadow. There were flowers of every size, shape and color, all lit up by the light of the moon.

The wolf knelt down to let the girl off, but before he had even leaned halfway down she had already jumped off and was making her way to the pond. She marveled at the moonlight that was reflected in the pools surface and made the cascading water glisten and shine.

From there she looked at the rest of the area around her. There was a single tree in the middle of the clearing and the grass was tall and soft, perfect for laying on.

In lieu of beautiful scenery she forgot all about the creature that had brought her there. A sound behind her brought back her memory and she quickly turned to where she had left the wolf.

Instead of a wolf there, however, stood the man that she had met last night. He was even wearing the same outfit. Looking at the rest of the meadow showed that there was no one else but them; the wolf had seemingly disappeared.

Staring back at the man, she saw that he was staring intently at her. They simply stared at each other for a few long moments before the girl remembered something she'd seen last night.

His canines had been too long for a human, but vampires had that long of teeth. It was said they could also change into animals, like the wolf and bat. Though, only really old vampires had such abilities. At least, that was what she'd heard from the rest of the staff.

Having figured out what he was, she grew nervous. This was a creature that could kill her in an instant, but then again, he could have done so as a wolf. So maybe he wasn't going to hurt her?

He had said last night that he would not harm her, but did that pertain to tonight as well?

The vampire seemed to sense her worries for he said, "You are safe," in the same cold tone as last night.

Since he had kept his word last night, she believed him.

The child gave him a nervous smile and turned back to look at scenery. She really wanted to ask why he had brought her here, but was far too afraid.

Hearing a sound behind her, she looked over her shoulder to see that the man had sat down under the tree in the middle of the clearing. His back was leaning against it, one leg stretched out while the other was propped up with an arm slung across it. He appeared to be sleeping. His eyes were closed, at least.

For the next half-hour she amused herself with exploring her surroundings. After that she felt her curiosity get the better of her and slowly and quietly walked up to the vampire. She didn't want to wake him if he was asleep, though she thought that vampires didn't sleep at night.

She bent down until they were face to face. As she stared at him, his eyes suddenly opened. She was startled and started to fall back only to be caught by him and pulled between his now parted legs.

The girl stiffened again, just like when she was on his lap last night. She had no idea why this man always seemed to insist on holding her. Some of the other servants had held her before, but she knew them. It was kind of weird to be held like this by a stranger.

All he seemed to want to do was hold her, so she relaxed after a time.

There was a long time of silence between them before she asked him the question that had been eating away at her curiosity.

Looking at him, she asked, "Why did you bring me here?"

Instead of answering, he asked her in return if she had enjoyed herself.

Even though she was confused, she nodded her head 'yes'.

"Then that is reason enough," he said, closing his eyes once again.

She wanted to ask what he meant by that, but his tone told her that the conversation was over.

Again the night waned and she felt herself growing tired once more. The temperature of the night had also dropped drastically and a cold wind blew. The girl shivered as another blast of the chill, autumn wind hit her meagerly dressed body.

Right after, the man set her off of him and moved away. For a moment she thought that he was going to leave her, but he stopped only a few paces away.

She looked at him quizzically, her arms hugged around her small form. A small mist appeared at the base of his feet and rose, soon covering his entire body. When the cloud disappeared, in the man's place was the wolf from earlier.

The child would have been more awed if the cold air and late night had not already dulled her senses.

The was man, now wolf, padded over to her and laid down behind her body. He curled himself around her, effectively providing a pillow and much appreciated warmth.

She sighed in contentment and snuggled up to his soft fur. Soon she was fast asleep.

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The girl woke up the next morning again in her bed. At first she was confused, she remembered being in the forest. Then a smile broke over her face. The nice man must have brought her back. Even if he was a vampire, she still thought that he was great.

She happily hopped out of bed and got ready for the day. All the while she was hoping that maybe she'd be able to see the man again tonight, and thank him for being so kind to her.

Later that day she was working in the kitchen when she heard that the master of the house had once again left. The child blinked in surprise. She hadn't even known that he was in the mansion.

The little girl also remembered that the master was a vampire, as well as the man from the last two nights. So could that mean that she'd been speaking with the master of the house? That would make sense. There would be no other reason for a vampire to be in this area. Her mouth fell open in shock.

His last visit had been two years before she'd been born, so of course she'd never seen him. If he was the master, though, why had he been so nice to her, a lowly servant?

Another thought struck her as she stood before the sink, dirty dishes sitting in front of her. If he was gone, then that meant she wouldn't see him for ten whole years! He hadn't even said goodbye last night! Maybe he didn't like her as well as she had thought. This conclusion dampened her good spirits and she finished up her daily chores without her usual exuberance.

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That night the child sat on the back porch, thinking of her times with the master. Finally, she decided that if he didn't care about her enough to say goodbye, then she wasn't going to be sad over him leaving.

But no matter how she tried to console herself, a few stray tears fell down her cheeks as she gazed at the waning moon.


	3. A Not So Happy Reunion

A/N: Another chapter and I must warn my readers that this one contains very mild content that could be considered R or whatever rating uses nowadays. Nothing major, but I thought I'd mention it an case there are any underage people reading this. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 3: A Not So Happy Reunion

Ten years later, Meryl had grown up into a fine young woman of eighteen, and was still working at the manor.

The young women had grown in many ways the past ten years. Unlike most women of the times, she wore her hair short. She was shorter than most, not much above five feet, but her personality made up for her small stature. Meryl was a strong woman and she was able to succeed in everything that had been set before, just because of that strength of character.

Meryl rarely let anything affect her. She was always professional in anything she did and after ten years she'd been able to put the instances of ten years ago into the deepest depths of her mind. Memories of those two nights seemed more like dreams now, dreams she'd forgotten. Only when she heard that the master was returning, did they resurface.

She attempted to throw off any of the feelings that his coming back brought to her. After all, he was the master and she was only the servant. The woman still hadn't figured out why he had been so kind to her, but now she promises herself to avoid him, it was for the best if she did.

She doubted that he even remembered her.

Unfortunately, on the day of his arrival, all of the servants were required to greet the master. She was a child ten years ago and therefore had been excluded the last time. Besides, he always arrived very late at night. Far too late for an eight-year to be up.

As they all stood in the foyer of the manor, she made sure to position herself in the far back of the crowd of servants.

His arrival was announced and she could hear him being welcomed by the head servant. Through all of the others, she couldn't even glimpse the master.

Soon the master continued on toward his chambers and everyone dispersed, going back to their rooms for a good nights rest.

The woman felt disappointed and sad, but scolded herself for those feelings. He probably didn't even remember her. She shouldn't have expected the impossible.

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Later that night, she found herself restless and walked to the back porch of the servant quarters, like that night almost ten years ago.

Again she chastised herself for her nostalgic thoughts, but she still couldn't help but remember how much fun she'd had with him.

As the memories replayed in her head, though, she blushed. Back then, she had still been a child, but now, when she thought of a grown man holding her, the young woman couldn't help but blush in embarrassment. After all, she was now an adult and knew what happened between men and women.

Like other girls her age, she had been told by one of the older woman on the staff. Thinking of those types of things caused her to hang her head in embarrassment as her face heated up.

A quiet chuckle broke the silence that surrounded her.

She quickly looked up to find the man from ten years ago, the master, standing at the bottom of the stairs. The position made him just about eye level with her and he was only two feet away.

The young woman only stared in amazement, she didn't know at all what to say to him. Now that she knew who he was, she felt the servant-master role fall heavily upon her.

Quickly gaining her bearings, the woman bowed her head, like she had been taught to do to her master. When she glanced back up to judge his reaction to her actions, she found a frown marring his usual cold features.

Thinking that maybe she'd disturbed him, she began backing away and said, "Excuse me for interrupting you. I'll just be going now."

Thus far he hadn't said a word the entire time, but at her retreat he reached out and grabbed her forearms to stop her.

At first she was indignant that he had touched her so, but she restrained herself from slapping him like she would have done to any other man, reminding herself that this was her benefactor.

"Is there something wrong, sir?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"There is," came his curt reply.

Her heart sank at those words. Had she done something wrong? "And what is the problem?"

"You are still afraid of me." As he spoke, she felt him grasp her chin and he raised her face so that they were once again looking each other in the eye.

"Now that you know who I am, does being with me scare you?" he asked the surprised eighteen-year-old.

She felt like he was daring her to be frightened of him and she brashly answered him. "No, I'm not afraid of you."

He smirked at her words. "Then come with me, and show me that you are not afraid."

"C-come with you?' She asked as her mind came up with scenarios of them walking under the trees, holding hands, kissing . . .

She could feel her face heat up and could have sworn that his grin grew.

His infuriatingly smug smile caused her stubborn streak to come to the forefront and she nodded at him to lead the way.

With that, he took a hold of one of her hands and began guiding her toward the woods nearby.

Eventually, after a few long minutes of walking together under the trees, she recognized where he was leading her. This was the same path that he had taken her on before when he'd been a wolf, ten years prior.

Soon they came to the clearing, deep in the woods. He led her to the tree and abruptly stopped beneath it.

In a sudden move he tugged her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her. Her face was against his chest, and she thought that if he was human, she would have been able to hear his heartbeat. She knew her face had to resemble a tomato at the moment, but there was nothing she could do otherwise. His unnaturally strong grip kept her trapped tightly against his body. A body she noticed was well muscled. He still smelled the same as well, like old books.

After a few long moments of them standing like that, he spoke, "I've finally come back for you, my dear."

She promptly looked up at his face, a confused expression on her features. It was apparent that she had no idea what he was talking about, or why he had just used an endearment to address her. The way he said it reminded her of the how she'd seen lovers speak to each other.

Instead of answering her unasked question, he ran a hand through her hair. "You've grown up much since I last saw you." Then he added with that annoying grin, "far beyond what even I expected."

It did not take long for the young woman to grasp the implications of that statement, and her confusion and permanent blush deepened.

They locked eyes and she watched as he slowly bent down and nuzzled her neck affectionately.

He began speaking again, in what seemed like riddles to her. "Though I am a vampire who is immortal, who has lived longer than you could imagine, these past ten years have been the longest I have ever known." His breath tickled her skin as he spoke and she felt her hairs rise in response.

Using patience that she didn't know she had, she waited for him to explain his words and actions.

He drew back a little to look her straight in the eye again. "I have been waiting these past ten years for you to mature, my dear. Even when you were so young I had decided that you would belong to me, be my bride."

Her eyes opened wide and her mouth probably resembled a fish at that point.

He couldn't be serious! He wanted her, a lowly servant, to be his bride! Just like that! Didn't she get any say in this!

Those questions flew through her mind and she felt herself grow angry at the vampire. He was so damn arrogant. Even now she could tell that he had expected her to be showering him with gratitude and offering herself up as his midnight snack. Well, she wasn't going to let him have his way! No way in hell was she going to become a blood sucker!

The young woman began struggling in his grasp at that last thought and the vampire holding her grew confused and then angry himself.

He was indeed waiting for her to say something. The man was expecting her to feel honored that he'd asked her such a thing. After all she was only a servant, usually vampires of his status would marry a lady of high breeding. But when she began to struggle, he grew confused, something that he had rarely been in his long life.

Why was she trying to flee from him? He'd just offered her the greatest gift one could give, immortality, and she was attempting to leave him! A snarl of rage escaped his mouth and his grip on her turned bruising.

He narrowed his eyes as he looked down at her. "I have made my decision. You will be my bride," he said in an authoritative and no-nonsense voice.

Fear started to set in for the young woman. How was she going to escape from this person, a vampire she only knew from two experiences and from stories the rest of the staff had told her? And the stories they told weren't exactly flattering. He was the one who gave them a place to live, but the tales of his cruelty and brutality from ages ago were still lodged in peoples' minds.

As his hold tightened, she grew more frightened and struggled even more to escape him.

"Let me go!" she cried as the young woman felt her arms bruising from where he was gripping them.

By now he was very angry, she was trying to disobey him already and they weren't even bonded yet! Her attitude toward his gift was not appreciated, either. He was the master and she would be grateful for anything he would give her!

As his anger grew, his grip tightened even further. Soon, without him knowing it, his grip was almost breaking her arms and she was whimpering in pain as she thrashed in his hold.

He didn't particularly care at that moment that she was hurting. It served her right for her transgression.

Finally, he tired of her struggling and crushed her to him, her arms pinned against her sides.

In a sudden decision, he made up his mind to bind them together anyway. She would just have to adapt to her new life, regardless of what she wanted.

The hand that was around her shoulders reached up and grabbed her head, pushing it to the side.

Her eyes widened in realization of what he was going to do right before his head swooped down, fangs beared, and he buried his teeth into the soft skin of her neck.

For the first moment there was blinding pain, but immediately following that was a pleasure that she had never felt before. It was as if her entire body was being heated up in an oven, the source being the point where his teeth were. Her mouth was open in a silent gasp and her body was frozen in place. As the heat spread, she felt her nipples harden and a tightness began in her belly.

Meryl could feel his hands roaming her body, searching all of her curves. She was helpless to stop him and a small part of her, the part that was enjoying theses new sensations, welcomed his touch. The young woman still couldn't move her body anyway.

The only sounds in the air were a soft sucking and her own gasping breaths as her lungs struggled for air.

Soon the tingling of her body faded and a numbness took over. Eventually she felt cold and tired, so very tired. She couldn't ever remember feeling this fatigued before.

After what seemed like forever, he pulled his mouth from her throat, licking his lips as he pulled away.

Her eyes were barely open as he lowered her slowly and gently to the ground.

She was scared and there were tear tracks down her face. Even during the time of intense pleasure, her grief and fear over being forced into this horrible marriage had shown through.

He wiped away a stray tear with his thumb as he caressed her face. The vampire felt quite pleased with himself. She had tasted absolutely delicious, the best he'd ever had and soon she would be his bride.

The young woman was beginning to fall into a deep sleep. With the amount of blood she'd lost, she would not live for much longer.

He swiftly cut open a wrist with one of his fingernails and lifted her head to the bleeding wound.

The man softly encouraged her to drink the substance he offered her. She didn't want to at first, not wishing to drink his blood, but after a few tries he was able to get a little bit to spill down her throat. After her first taste, she couldn't help but eagerly drink more. Her body was so cold and the liquid seemed to warm her.

Eventually she had drunk enough so that he laid her back down on the ground. Within a minute she had fallen asleep, her breathing still labored. Soon even her breath faded away until it stopped altogether.

He smiled down at her. Now, when she awoke, she would be his.

He hooked his arms behind her shoulders and under her knees. The vampire swiftly rose, with her in his arms, and set off back to the manor.


	4. Much Wanted Answers

A/N: Thank you to those who sent me such nice reviews! I can't believe it's already been two weeks since my last update, or roughly two weeks. I hope you like this chapter as much as the others. Happy reading!

Chapter 4: Much Wanted Answers

The next evening Meryl woke up. It was a slow process of trying to get her eyes to open. She felt tired, even though she had a feeling that she'd had a restful sleep. Once the young woman had her eyes open, she found herself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.

With a shake of her head she slowly sat up and looked around herself. Meryl noticed that she was still wearing her sleeping gown, but everything else was completely different. What she saw around her made her eyes widen in confusion, then change to terror. Instead of sleeping in her usual bed in her room, she was in a strange new area.

The walls of this room resembled that of a dungeon and were made up of large rocks and mortar that showed great age. The mortar was crumbling in places and moss grew over a small portion of the walls. There were no windows.

But what frightened her the most was what she was laying in. The young woman had thought that it was a bed because of the beautiful blue, silk sheets that surrounded her. She was wrong. Instead of a bed, Meryl was sitting in a coffin, the largest she'd ever seen. The lid had been taken completely off and was leaning against one of the walls. It was large enough to fit two people comfortably.

As quickly as possible, she jumped out of the coffin and put some distance between her and it.

Looking at the rest of her surroundings more closely, she found that the room had a single door, made of very solid-looking metal. She walked to it, even though Meryl had her doubts that she could move it.

Grasping the large, brass handle, she gave it a few hard yanks. As she had thought, the door didn't even budge an inch. Feeling something different about the handle still in her hand, she glanced down as she opened her palm and stared wide eyed at what she'd done. Where her hand had been on the handle, was a perfect imprint of her grip.

She gasped and let go of the object as if burnt, stepping away from it. The young woman stared at her hand in fear until something else caught her attention. Since gasping she had been holding her breath, but she hadn't felt the need to breathe. That couldn't be right, though.

Meryl took a deep breath of air and held it in. After almost a minute of holding it she still hadn't felt that tightening in the chest that came with not breathing. She let out the air in a sob of terror.

Another thing caught her attention as she stood in the middle of the room. Her body felt colder than it should have, but she knew that it wasn't because of the colder air around her. This feeling seemed to come from within her, instead of from an external source.

Hugging her arms around herself, she thought back on the last thing she could remember. Her mind still seemed very fuzzy and thus far she had been acting on instinct alone.

When the memories of the night before appeared in her minds eye, she gave off a whimper of fear.

That man had bitten her, she was sure of it. Reaching a hand to her neck, though, showed that her neck was unblemished by any mark at all. She didn't understand what was going on with her at all.

Frantic thoughts were flying through her mind. Where was she? Why was she here? What was wrong with her?

As her terror started to take complete control of her, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching the door. Even though the walls and door were solid rock and metal, it seemed to her hearing as if they were right in front of her.

Yet another item to add to her list of things that were wrong with her.

She turned her attention back to the door and watched as the handle turned and the large piece of metal opened inwards.

What greeted her sight was not what she was expecting. Instead of seeing the monster that had no doubt placed her in this prison, there stood his personal servant.

The man's hair was a dark blue and fell over his face, concealing one eye. As far back as any could remember this strange man had served the master of the house, leading many to believe that he was a vampire himself.

Now he stood before her, one hand on the handle, the other holding a tray that held a wine bottle and a glass.

She'd never personally talked with the man before, only seen him on a few occasions. He typically visited the mansion more often than the master. She didn't even know his name.

For a moment both of them simply looked at one another, a silence permeating the room. Then the young man, for so he looked, bent down in a deep bow and spoke. "Good evening, my lady."

The young woman gave him a confused look. Why was he addressing her as if she was of royalty? She was only a lowly servant, even lower than himself, yet he addressed her so.

She watched, dumbfounded, as he straightened up and walked over to a small table in the room that she had not noticed earlier.

He set down his burden on the table and walked back to stand in front of the door. He turned to her with another bow, opened the door, and was gone before she could make a move.

The young woman blinked a few times, trying to figure out what had just happened. She eventually shook her head and made her way to the door. Another tug told her that she still couldn't move the heavy metal.

With it confirmed that she was still stuck in the room, she made her way over to the table to see what the servant had brought.

The bottle appeared to hold a red liquid, much like red wine. Not knowing if the liquid was for her, she stepped away and once more glanced over the dungeon-like room.

Being alone again, with nothing to divert her attention, all of her fears from earlier resurfaced. The appearance of the master's manservant only added to her confusion, but also gave her hope that she wouldn't be stuck in this room forever, forgotten by everyone.

With that small feeling she sat down on the floor, leaning her back against the coffin that she had found herself in.

After what seemed like hours, she heard another set of footsteps approaching her small dungeon. These didn't seem like the ones from before. The person coming toward her had a much lighter step, almost making no noise whatsoever.

She stood to greet her unknown visitor and waited expectantly while they stopped in front of her room and opened the door.

When the door opened wide enough for her to see the person she gave a small shiver of fear. This time it wasn't the servant, this time it was the master himself. The one who had kidnaped her and brought her here to this dungeon. The person responsible for whatever was wrong with her.

Now, though, he was wearing more casual clothing, simply a blue silk shirt that matched with his eyes and a pair of black dress pants.

She had no idea what to say to him and for a few moments they merely stared at each other.

He was the first to break the silence.

"How do you feel?"

That wasn't one of the first things she thought he'd say. Sure, he'd been nice to her before, but her most recent memories of him were more dominant in her memories. The way he wouldn't release her and how he had attacked her stood out clear, defining what Meryl thought of him.

Even though there wasn't a mark, she knew that he had sunk his fangs into her neck. The pain had been all too real, and the feelings afterward as well. Kidnaping her to who-knows-where wasn't helping his track record either.

So, now she only stared at him with an incredulous look on her face.

He gave her a piercing glare and took a slow step toward her.

She in turn took one away from him, and he stopped his advance.

"You have nothing to fear from me," he tried to soothe her. "I have no ill intentions toward you."

Her suspicion of him only grew at his words. The vampire had taken her without her permission and placed her in a coffin. To her that meant that his intentions weren't exactly honorable.

He again stepped toward her and she again took one herself, even going so far as to put the coffin between them. She knew that he was a vampire of immense strength, but she felt safer having some type of barrier distancing him from herself.

Thus far the man had been very patient with her, but her continued distrust seemed to irritate him. Being a noble he was probably used to people taking his word at face value, or at least knowing enough about him to know to do as he said.

When he spoke again, his voice was more forceful. "Meryl, come here," he said, holding out a hand toward her.

She was surprised that he knew her name, as she had never told it to him, but still made no move to walk toward him.

That must have been the final straw because all of a sudden he seemed to vanish into thin air, right in front of her eyes. Then, just as sudden he was standing in front of her with a hard expression on his face.

He grabbed hold of her upper arms before she could move away from him. "You will listen to me when I speak to you," he said in harsh tones.

The girl shut her eyes in fear and trembled in his arms. This man was not the same one she knew from so long ago. That person had been kind and gentle. Now, he was a vampire lord that many feared.

Though, when she thought about it, his actions ten years prior hadn't really been him. He'd only been nice to lure her to him. At that revelation, a tear rolled down one cheek.

At the feel of a tongue on her cheek, licking the tear away, her eyes snapped open.

His face was hovering mere inches from hers. Finding him so close to her, she instinctively tried to pull away from him. Unfortunately for her, his grip on her person made this impossible.

Instead, her fruitless struggling only made the vampire's temper raise even higher, along with his grip.

After a few minutes of attempting to get out of his grip, she stopped trying. She could feel that his hands had tightened and now she couldn't move her upper body at all.

With her escape attempts finally over with, the vampire spoke to her. "You can't escape me, my dear. While you may be of my blood, I am still far stronger."

'_Of his blood?'_ she thought questioningly.

"That is correct," came the unexpected answer.

The young woman quickly looked up at him with surprise and shock written all over her face.

"How...?" she uttered in a soft voice. It was obvious that he had somehow heard her thought.

He tilted his head to the side and gave her an incredulous look. "You still haven't figured it out?"

When all she gave him was a blank stare he continued.

"I've given you a great gift. The gift of immortality. You, my dear, are now my vampiric bride."

The truth that she had been struggling to deny was a hard blow to the young vampire. Her mind reeled at his words and she could feel herself being slowly lowered to the ground, with his arms still around her person.

Once situated on the floor, the young woman curled up into a pitiful ball, sobbing into her knees.

The master vampire released her from his grip with a sigh. He'd expected there to be some difficulties, since she had not given her consent for him to change her, but he didn't know she'd take it so hard.

His gaze moved from the crying woman to the bottle of liquid still sitting on the small table. He knew that the container held blood. He'd sent his servant with one of his best bottles. It was important that a vampire's first taste be a good one. If the vampire did not like it, then they would have a harder time eating the necessary fluid in the future.

The substance should also help to calm down the young vampire. He strode over the table, opened the bottle, and poured a glass of red liquid for the distraught girl.

Walking back to the vampiress, he noticed that she was still crying her heart out. Her entire body was shaking with every sob.

By no means did Meryl ever expect one of those fairy tale endings, where the prince saved her from her life of servitude and they lived happily ever after. She thought that like most women, she'd end up with a decent husband in a small cottage with tons of children, but now all of those dreams were gone. Even the old life she'd known had been stripped away from her in one night.

Meryl knew that she couldn't return to being a simple, human servant. The people she'd known all her life, the other servants of the manor, would not accept her back. Now she was a vampire, and though the pact had been made between the two species long ago, resentment still lingered.

Everything was gone, and she didn't have any idea of what the future held for her. The hopelessness of her situation took its toll on her and she couldn't hold back the tears of despair that were welling up inside her. After the first sob escaped her, it was impossible for the woman to hold in the rest, and soon she was outright crying. She was typically a very strong woman, but the past twenty-four hours had beaten hard on even her tough will.

Worry also plagued at her mind. What would the strange vampire that had changed her, do with her? That was the question she most wanted answered at the moment.

She felt him leave her side and return a few moments later. He seated himself beside her shaking body and ran a hand through her hair in an attempt to comfort her.

"Hush, my dear," he said in low, soothing tones. "There's no reason for you to be sad. This should be a time of celebration. You've been given a wondrous gift. No longer must you worry about the threat of death like regular humans do."

At his words she seemed to curl into a tighter ball, and the sounds she'd been making increased in volume.

Finding that the tactic of persuasion wasn't working, the master vampire decided to see if a drought of blood would do any good.

"Why don't you drink?" he asked. "It will make you feel much better."

With a small sniffle the vampiress glanced up and took a look at the glass that he held. She was a smart girl who knew the ways of vampires. So it didn't take her long to realize what was in the glass he held.

The very act of drinking another's blood so horrified her that she jumped up from the floor and stepped away from him.

Again, the man found himself becoming annoyed with her continual lack of cooperation. But still he pressed on with a calm voice.

He stood as well and held out the drink to her. "There is nothing wrong with drinking from others," he explained. "That is what you are now, and you'll have to get used to your new life."

'_My new life?_' she thought to herself. She hadn't even wanted this, yet he seemed as if she should be grateful and just accept what he'd done to her. Righteous anger welled inside of her as she thought about how all of this was his fault. He'd made her into a monster, ruined her life, and now expected her to be grateful for it?

"I won't!" she screamed at him, her hands fisted at her sides.

That set him off, and in the blink of an eye he used his incredible speed to bring himself right in front of her.

"You will do as you are told," he said in a sinister tone. "If not, then I will force you to."

The threat in his words and his voice sent shivers down her spine and she tried to take a step back from him. Again an arm whipped out and caught her in his hold.

"Things would be easier on you if you'd only cooperate," he explained to her as he brought the woman's body tightly against his own.

This time she didn't struggle, but held her body absolutely rigged. Her head was bowed and she refused to look him in the eye as he spoke. Suddenly, her head rose and she found herself staring at him, except that she hadn't been the one to move it!

"As I said, I can and will force you if I have to. My blood is in your entire body, and therefore, I can move any part of you I wish."

Those grim words seemed to take away the fight left in her. She felt utter hopelessness and an intense fear. What was she going to do if he could make her do anything, simply by thinking it? What would he make her do?

"I told you that I would not harm you," he said in answer to her silent thoughts. "But if I must, I will punish you. You are my fledgling, and I am the one who knows what is best for you."

"Now," he said, putting forth the glass again. "You will drink this. After you do, I promise that we'll talk."

She wasn't quite sure if she wanted to talk to him, and she knew she didn't want to drink any blood, but she would have to end up downing it anyway. Maybe it would be a good idea if she compromised in this and didn't anger him further. If she did that, then he might not answer any of the questions she had. Still foremost in her mind was the question of what he planned on doing with her now.

With shaking fingers she reached out and grabbed the glass offered to her. He let her arm go and instead slipped both around her waist. This way he could keep her from trying to flee, yet not make her feel as if he was forcing her to drink.

She'd cupped the glass in both hands in front of her and was staring apprehensively at the red liquid inside. A quick glance at the vampire told her that he was still waiting for her to empty the container. She took a deep breath, that she didn't need, and in one gulp, downed all of the blood he'd given her.

Her first reaction was to gag as the thick liquid went down her throat, but the sensations following took that idea away. She felt as if she been given the finest of wine, that not only quenched your thirst, but also took away your hunger as well. Her cold body also seemed to heat up because of the liquid.

She brought surprised eyes to the other vampire's face and found him smiling down at her.

"I told you it would make you feel better."


	5. Unwanted Truth

A/N: I'm sorry about the late chapter. School has arrived for me and it's going to take up a good deal of my time. Darn school...Anyway, I'll not have as much time to work on my stories either, but I still have a few chapters left to put up for this story. Enough from me, hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 5: Unwanted Truth

He gently took the now empty glass from her, walked and set it back on the tray on the table.

A noise caught Meryl's attention and she watched as the metal door swung open. The servant had returned and this time he had brought with him a dress. At first glance Meryl could tell that the material was very expensive and the color matched the shirt Knives wore.

The servant glanced at his master and at Knives' nod walked up to Meryl and offered her the outfit. She turned her gaze to the vampire, wondering if the dress was really for her. Never in her life had the young woman ever worn anything near as fine a quality as the dress held before her.

"You are my bride now, and will wear nothing but the finest," he told her matter of factly.

Taking that as a yes, Meryl carefully took the outfit, afraid that she would tear it in some way.

"If you have any needs whatsoever," Knives suddenly spoke up, catching Meryl's attention. "My servant, Legato," he indicated the man before her, "will serve you."

The retainer gave her a low bow. "I am at your service, My Lady." His voice was low and smooth, but held such a chill to it that she felt a shiver run up her spine. Both servant and master gave her the creeps.

"Is there anything else you require, My Lord?" he asked as he turned to his master.

"Have the preparations been made?" he inquired of the servant.

The vampiress had no idea what these 'plans' were but she had a feeling that they involved her.

"Yes, Master," was the man named Legato's reply.

The vampire gave him a curt nod and dismissed him.

Now it was only the two of them again and Knives was staring at her expectantly.

"A dress is meant to be worn," he told her teasingly.

She glanced down at the cloth in her hands and back at him. It didn't appear that he was going anywhere.

Meryl gave him a nervous smile and politely asked, "Could you please leave?"

He lifted an eyebrow and calmly walked to the door. Before he left, though, he said, "For now I will allow you such privacy. That will change when we are formally wed in front of the other nobility. Remember, my dear, you belong to me now. Mind, body and soul."

He emphasized the word 'body' as his gaze swept over her person. His eyes held a hungry look to them and Meryl knew exactly what was going through his mind.

After that he promptly left the room, leaving her to her own thoughts and to put on the dress. It didn't take her very long to don the outfit. The dress fit her perfectly and she had a feeling that it wasn't just a coincidence that the dress was her size.

Knives must have felt that she'd had enough time because he came in at that moment. He regarded her for a few moments and she shuffled nervously in front of his stare. The vampire finally gave an approving nod of his head and held his hand out for her to take.

She gazed from the outstretched limb to his face quizzically.

An eyebrow rose in amusement. "You don't wish to have our talk here, do you?"

Glancing around the room, she realized that the only place they could sit and speak were in the coffin or on the floor. Meryl took a hesitant step toward him and when she'd come within reach, slowly set her small hand in his larger one.

When his fingers curled around her hand she had the impulse to tug it away, but restrained herself. Fighting back now would only lead them back to where they started.

Knives strode up to the door, pulling her behind him. Grasping the handle, he gave a small tug and the metal swung open as if it weighed no more than a feather. Meryl huffed; she had a feeling that he knew she couldn't open the door, and was bragging that he could.

Outside the room was a long hallway, only lit by torches that hung on the walls. This area was also made of the same mortar and rocks as the room she'd been imprisoned in. He turned right and she followed after him, staring at her surroundings.

They came upon few doors, these the same as hers had been. After what seemed like hours of walking, he stopped in front of one of the doors. By this time Meryl could admit that she was thoroughly lost. He'd taken so many twists and turns that she had no idea how to get back to the room they'd started in. Where in the world could this place be?

The male vampire opened the door and strode into the room, pulling Meryl behind him.

Meryl blinked in shock at what the room held. She'd expected it to look much the same as the other area, similar to a dungeon. However, this room was anything but. Fancy rugs littered the floor and the furniture was some of the best she'd ever seen. In fact, it was similar to the ones that Knives had in his private chambers in the mansion. There were two chairs that were facing a roaring fire, a small table between them.

He led her to one of the chairs and she sat down, still looking at all of the splendor in the room. Knives settled himself into the other chair and crossed one leg over the other, making himself comfortable.

When she refocused her attention back on him he began their conversation

"What would you like to ask first?" He was calmly staring at her. His head was resting on a fisted hand and he looked completely relaxed. Not that she was fooled. She knew that he could become a frightening tyrant in seconds if he wished it.

Meryl also tried to keep a cool facade. She did not want to look weak in front of this man. Instead, the young woman was going to show him that she could be strong, and that she wouldn't bow down to him.

Going straight to the point, she asked, "What are your plans for me?"

A smirk tugged at his lips, he was obviously amused by her bluntness.

"My plans?" he asked back. "You are my bride now and will take on the duties that come with such an honor."

She questioned the use of the word 'honor', but wisely didn't argue the point. "What type of duties?" she asked him in a slightly worried voice.

The smirk deepened and he said, "Nothing more than what a human lady would do for her husband."

Meryl frowned in spite of the fact that she was trying to keep a stony face. "And if I refuse? After all, you were the one who forced me into this position. I had no choice in the matter."

As she'd thought, a few defiant words from her and his calm attitude quickly faded. He sat up in his chair and leaned over the small table that separated them.

"As I've said," he breathed out menacingly, "if you refuse to do as I say, then you will be punished."

He was practically in her face when he said that and she gulped rather loudly as he leaned back into his chair again.

She must have had a very frightened look on her face because he attempted to console her. "I assure you, you will not be forced to do anything terribly unpleasant. As a matter of fact," he said with a rather feral grin forming on his face, "you could enjoy some of the things I have planned for you."

The young woman instantly realized what his words were pertaining to and a faint blush tinted her cheeks.

Shaking her head to get her body back under control, she asked her next question.

"Why did you do this to me, make me a vampire?"

He seemed to ponder this question for a moment before answering, "Not many humans would know this of vampires, as it is a well-kept secret by our people." Meryl cringed when he said 'our'. She didn't want to belong to the same species as him. "Vampires are able to sense a potential mate. Something similar to telepathy."

He paused and turned his attention to the fire, staring blankly into the flames. "The link is formed as soon as the mate is born. From this the vampire, or vampiress, is able to track down the person. Even with the link it can be difficult to find the person. How fortunate that you had been raised in one of my mansions."

At this he stopped speaking and continued to gaze at the fire.

"So," Meryl began hesitantly, "you've known about me since I was born?"

Knives turned his unblinking gaze back to her and she shivered.

"I have."

That thought gave her chills. That he could have been looking for her for that long. Almost like a hunter stalking it's prey. All those years and she'd never known that she was destined to lose her mortal life. She too gazed at the fire and contemplated everything that he'd told her.

Sadness enveloped her once again. To her, her life had always been doomed to end like this, her unwillingly bonded to a strange and frightening vampire. In her mind that presented a bleak future, at best. Where would things go from here?

Without realizing it she whispered, "What now?"

"Now," came the vampire's voice, "you will be introduced to vampiric society."

She turned to him at the sound of his voice and gave him a puzzled look.

"It is the custom for those of the higher class to introduce their mate before the rest of their peers," he explained.

Meryl felt so emotionally drained that all she did was nod in understanding, and turn back to the fire.

A shadow suddenly stood in front of her and she gazed upward into Knives face.

"It is nearing dawn and you need to sleep," he said, extending his hand to her.

Suddenly, Meryl thought of a whole new dilemma that wiped all the depressing thoughts out of her mind. She was remembering that the coffin could fit two, and Meryl knew who the other person would be. Again that annoying blush appeared on her face. "Will you be sleeping, also?" she asked, hoping that he would say no.

"I typically do not," he said, and Meryl breathed a sigh of relief.

"However," he continued, "we are to going to be traveling on a long journey beginning tomorrow, and I will need to reserve my strength. As such, I will be sleeping tonight."

A small 'eep' escaped Meryl's lips as she heard his decision and she sank lower into the chair.

The man knew what he was doing, too. She could tell because he had that infuriating smirk on his face again. Not wanting to give show him how much he was getting to her, Meryl straightened up and firmly grasped his hand.

They walked the twisting path back to the first room. The walls around her brought another question forth. She'd never seen this place before and was wondering where they were. Meryl didn't believe that he would have taken her too far after last night. "Where are we?" she asked as they quietly walked through the corridors.

"Under the mansion. These are the old dungeons that are in the basement," he stated calmly.

She shivered at his tone. So her guess had been right, not that the thought gave her any comfort. Places like this always gave her the creeps. Just thinking about what had probably happened down her brought a sick feeling to her stomach.

They finally reached the room with the coffin and entered. He closed the door and she just stood there, staring at the culprit of her worries.

Knives didn't seem at all perturbed by the arrangements, probably because he'd planned it that way, and walked up to the coffin. He set his hands on the rim and looked back at her over his shoulder.

"Coming?" he had the gall to ask.

Hesitantly Meryl walked up to him. She reached his side and stood there, looking between him and the coffin, wondering who would be the first to get in.

He answered her silent query when he scooped her up into his arms and gently set her into the large box. Knives quickly came next, sliding into the coffin with practiced ease.

Meryl scooted over as far as the coffin would allow, trying to put as much space between them as possible.

For his part, Knives simply laid down, eyes closed and his head laying comfortably on an arm. The next few minutes they stayed like that, neither moving nor making a sound.

Meryl had been glancing everywhere but where Knives was and when she felt a heavy sleep fall upon her. Yawning a few times only increased the drowsiness. She heard the vampire sigh next to her and was going to look at him when she was wrapped in two arms and pulled to lie down.

Her body was stiff as a board as she felt Knives pull her tightly against him, his front to her back.

"Relax," he whispered into her ear. "I am not going to do anything . . . tonight."

Her eyes widened at the innuendo and she blushed hotly. He was true to his word, though, all he did was hold her. She relaxed her body and felt him draw her closer to him. He unexpectedly buried his face in her neck and Meryl stiffened on instinct. Knives seemed to have settled himself, however, and she let herself drift off into the vampiric sleep.


	6. Journey

A/N: Since my last chapter was so late, I thought I'd put this one up early as an apology. I'm very grateful for the positive feedback I've gotten so far, so thanks! I've also created a website dedicated to the Meryl/Knives pairing if anyone is interested...Just go to my bio and click on the homepage. Thanks again to those who reviewed!

Chapter 6: Journey

Meryl awoke to the loud noises of a moving carriage. Horses pounding their hooves and the sound of creaking of wood pounded in her ears. At that moment she especially wished that she didn't have the superior hearing of vampires.

The young woman also noticed that sometime during her sleep she'd ended up facing Knives. Meryl really didn't think that vampires moved around while they slept, lore dictating that they slept like the dead, neither moving nor breathing. Someone must have moved her and her suspicion focused solely on Knives.

No one else would have done it. She doubted that anyone would have lifted the lid and risked awakening the vampire. Last night he'd stated that he rarely slept, so he could also be a light sleeper.

The vampiress turned her attention back to the movements of the carriage she must have been riding in. They had hit a bump on whatever road they were on and she found herself bouncing around, even with Knives' arms around her. Luckily, there were cushions padding on the sides to keep her from hitting the wood, probably put there for that very purpose.

After a few more minutes of jostling, Meryl distinctly felt the carriage slow down.

She breathed a sigh of relief and glanced up at the man who was still holding her in a strong but gentle grip. His eyes were closed, but as if he sensed she was looking at him they abruptly snapped open. Meryl let out a squeak of surprise.

He simply watched her for a few moments before tilting his head to the side and closing his eyes. To Meryl it seemed as if he was listening to something.

Minutes passed before he reopened his eyes. Knives did not look her way, but appeared to be waiting for something to occur.

She soon found out when the vehicle carrying them slowed down even more and eventually stopped. Meryl's best guess was that he'd been communicating with someone, maybe that strange servant of his, to arrange for the halting of the carriage.

As she pondered the telepathy that he could use, mostly wondering if he'd invaded her thoughts using the ability, Knives suddenly removed his arms from around her. He placed his palms flat against the coffin lid and gave a small push. Immediately the wood moved and he sat up, taking hold of the lid and gently setting it to the side of the coffin.

The young woman cautiously sat up and looked about herself.

As she'd expected, they were indeed in a carriage. However, the vehicle resembled a hearse more than Meryl cared to admit. There were doors and windows on either side like a normal carriage, but instead of seats there was a flat floor that the coffin rested on. The length was also much longer than usual to accommodate the long box.

Meryl stayed seated as Knives rose to his feet. The carriage must have been built to his specifications she mused. Even with his height, Knives was able to stand straight and not hit the top of the wagon.

He turned halfway toward her and held out his hand for her to take. Hesitantly, for Meryl still did not trust him, she grasped his hand.

The both of them made their way out of the carriage and out into the cool night air. Looking about, Meryl found herself in an unfamiliar landscape.

The manor that she'd lived in all her life had been surrounded by rolling meadows and forests. However, this area seemed to be closer to the hills, for the meadows were gone and the trees consisted of pines and firs instead of the willows and aspens she knew.

Another difference was the manor before her. As soon as she exited the carriage, the building had loomed in front of her. Though this one was not very similar to the one she'd grown up in. Knives' had been built of sturdy rock, but this one was comprised of wood and looked to be much newer.

Giving her hand a tug, he led her up the steps of the large structure and through the open front doors.

Now the entrance hall to Knives' manor was in no way small, but the room in front of her made it look very tiny; similar to comparing a hill against a mountain. There was a large chandelier overhead and beautiful wood furniture against the walls. A large staircase was situated straight across from them and there were many doors on the right and left.

There to greet them was a man flanked by a group of servants. It was obvious that he was the master of the house, what with the fine clothing and authoritative air he held.

Both her and Knives stood and watched as the man walked up to them, bowing deeply.

"It is a pleasure to have your Lordship with us." His words were polite, but even Meryl could tell there was an undercurrent of malice laced into his voice. This man, a vampire she could tell by his canines, looked harmless at first sight, but she doubted he really was.

In looks he appeared to be in his mid-twenties with short brown hair and dark, almost black eyes. She had to admit that he was handsome, with high cheekbones and a great build. The young woman would have found him attractive, but there was an underlying feeling of evil that seemed to radiate off of him.

"And who is this, Lord Knives?" Meryl was snapped out of her thoughts and found the object of her perusal addressing her.

"This, Count Sena, is my bride-to-be, Meryl Stryfe." His voice held a hint of a warning, but the other vampire either didn't notice or care.

"A beautiful creature," he said smoothly as he held and kissed one of her hands.

Meryl resisted the urge to shudder and gave a shaky smile. "It's nice to meet you," she said softly. As a servant she'd never undergone these formal introductions and the vampiress was understandably nervous. Also, this man gave her the creeps.

Still holding her hand, he asked Knives, "Where did you come across such a find, Knives?"

Even Meryl, who didn't know him very well, could tell that Knives was annoyed by the strange vampire's actions. His eyes were narrowed and he wore a tight frown. "You'll have to excuse us, Sena, but our journey has been long and we wish only to rest, not answer questions."

The harsh words didn't seem to phase their host and he let go of Meryl's hand and said, "Of course, Lord Knives. Please follow me."

He swiftly turned and began walking up the large staircase. They followed after him and he led them through many hallways and past many doors. Meryl knew that she would need a guide to traverse this maze. It was as bad as the dungeons from last night.

Finally, Count Sena stopped in front of one of the doors that to Meryl, looked like all the rest.

"I do hope you will find this room to your liking." He opened the heavy door and stepped inside, Meryl and Knives following behind him.

The room was lavishly furnished. The most expensive rugs littered the floor and the furniture was made of the best wood. Meryl, who had been raised in a mansion filled with expensive items, was awed at what the area held. A fireplace was on one wall with a seating area in a semicircle around it. There were double doors leading to a beautiful bedroom. The bed was a large four-post covered in silk sheets. A small balcony led off the bedroom and looked over the gardens.

"This is my best suite," he told Meryl proudly. Knives seemed familiar with the space, probably having stayed in the area before.

After making sure they were settled, Sena walked to the door. "Just call if you need anything," he said with a smile, winking at Meryl. She turned her head so he wouldn't see her grimace. There was no way she would ask for anything from that man. Who knew what would happen?

Knives growled at his behavior and the vampire finished with what he was saying. "Dinner will be served at eleven if you wish to come down and join me."

Knives gave a curt nod in acceptance and Sena closed the doors, leaving them alone.

Meryl continued inspecting the suite, anything to avoid talking with Knives. She didn't think she'd ever want to speak to him for as long as she lived, knowing full well how long that could be, not after what he'd done to her.

Unfortunately, a man like Knives wasn't one to be ignored. "I expect you to be on your best behavior at the dinner tonight." His voice was commanding and Meryl felt her defiant streak flare up.

She whirled on him, her face the picture of anger. "On my best behavior?" she said incredulously. "What's wrong," she goaded him, "afraid that I'll embarrass you? If you ask me, it would serve you right!"

The young woman had been told at one time that her temper would be the end of her and at that moment she thought it would come true. If she thought she'd seen Knives mad before, it was nothing compared to the rage flowing off of his body now.

What frightened her the most were the dark waves swirling around him. He appeared to be in a dark cloud and his eyes were almost swallowed up by the black bleeding into them. She didn't even ponder what it was covering him or how she could see it. The young woman was much too frightened to think any rational thought.

Her first instinct was to run from the terrifying creature in front of her, and run she did. Meryl guessed that her new immortal status had improved her speed because in less than a second she was at the door and opening it.

The wood was open barely an inch before a black mist-covered hand came hard on the door, slamming it closed with a resounding thud.

Acting quickly, Meryl ducked under the arm and made for the bedroom, closing and locking the double-doors behind her.

She slowly backed away from the doors, staring at them intently for an indication of any movement from the other side. Everything appeared to be quiet, but Meryl didn't believe that Knives would have just left her alone.

As she watched, Meryl became aware of a black haze beginning to flow from under the doors and through the keyhole. Not wanting to see what Knives was planning she made for the balcony; hopefully she could somehow escape from there.

Right as she reached them, the lock on the French doors suddenly clicked closed. When Meryl tried to pull them open, she found that they wouldn't budge an inch, somehow they had been sealed completely shut.

"I believe I've been too lenient on you," came a chilling voice from behind her.

Meryl cringed at his voice and slowly turned to face him. He was still surrounded by that dark aura, but it seemed more controlled now, not that she took any comfort from that. He may have appeared calm, but underlying all the control the anger was still there.

"Yes," he continued. "I don't think I've quiet spelled out the situation to you." His next movements were blurs to her and she didn't have time to move before he'd grabbed and thrown her onto the large bed.

Then he was on top of her, pinning her to the bed with his weight. She tried to push him off of her, but he grabbed her hands in one of his and pressed them to the bed above her head.

With him so close, practically nose to nose, she could tell that there was only a hint of blue left in his dark eyes. Those horrible eyes seemed to trap her and she found her body to be unresponsive to her slightest command.

He regarded her coldly. "There are many ways that a mate is trained to obey their master amongst vampires, some more harsh than others."

Suddenly, his dark aura flared up and Meryl's vision was filled with black. When she could see again, she found herself in somewhere completely different from the suite. Her hands were chained above her and she seemed to be in a black abyss. Everywhere there was darkness, except for the tiny circle of light that she was in.

She could move her limbs, but with her feet barely touching the ground she could to little.

In front of her Knives stepped out of the night surrounding her with a frightening look on his face and cold eyes. Meryl had a very bad feeling about this place and what was going to happen to her.

"You're probably wondering where you are," he spoke up. "This is a mind room. A place that you can inflict punishment on a person without causing them any lasting harm."

At the word punishment, Meryl began squirming helplessly in her chains.

Knives watched her struggle for a few minutes before stepping forward. The same dark cloud that seemed to emanate from him flared up around his hands and she watched as each finger changed and shifted into razor-sharp knives.

Meryl trembled as he walked within a foot of her and placed one of the now lethal weapons upon her chained hands and the other on a hip.

"Remember, my dear," he told her, "you were the one who chose this."

The vampire dug into her skin with both hands and Meryl screamed in pain, the sound echoing into the darkness. He dragged his hand down an arm and the other dug into her side.

Meryl had never felt such agony in her life. It felt as if she was being shredded, which was close to the truth. Her arm had very deep scratches down the length of it and the claws at her side had moved in a circumference around her middle, tearing into her soft skin.

She continued to scream her pain as his hands worked over her entire body. Her legs, breasts, face; everything was mercilessly torn. After what seemed like forever, Knives pulled away from her, blood dripping off of the knives. Meryl knew that she was bleeding profusely, could feel the fluid leaking out of her at an alarming rate. The wounds still burned and dry sobs of pain escaped her.

There were tear streaks down her cheeks that mixed with the red liquid, giving the impression that she was weeping blood.

She closed her eyes as another ripple of pain racked her body from the wounds. Strong fingers gripped her chin and her eyes snapped open in alarm, fearing more would be inflicted upon her.

Knives had returned his hands to normal and was standing calmly in front of her. "This will happen every time you disobey me." The circle of light disappeared and Meryl found herself looking into darkness again.

Light flooded her eyes and the suite appeared before her once again. Her chest was heaving with the sobs that were escaping her still and there were tears flowing down her cheeks as well. Even if her mind had been elsewhere, the body had still reacted to her torture.

The eyes staring at her were blue again and Knives slowly sat up, releasing his hold on her hands. Once his weight was lifted from her, the distraught woman quickly sat up and backed away from him. She held her arms protectively around herself as she tried to gain some measure of control over her fear. Her violet eyes were wide with terror as they stared at Knives.

What he'd done to her was by far the worst experience of her life. Her body remained undamaged, but her mind was something else. With the images still flowing through her mind, the young woman was having trouble gathering her wits.

When Knives reached out to touch her, she flinched from him and backed further toward the head of the bed. Belatedly, she realized that such an action would only make him angry again, but he didn't seem mad at her movement. Instead of lashing out, Knives narrowed his eyes at her in a calculating look and reached for her again.

This time she endured his touch, afraid that if she didn't he would take her to that horrible place again. However, she couldn't stop the tremor of fear that shook her body when his fingers grazed her cheek.

"Now you are afraid of me?" he asked her. She must have answered his question when she shivered again, for he didn't ask her again.

He slowly brought his body next to her curled up form and gather her onto his lap. He tried to stroke her hair soothingly, but she only stiffened further. He sighed in exasperation. "My little one, I don't believe you understand my motives. I do not take pleasure in your pain, but you must be taught to obey."

He could tell that the young woman didn't believe his last words, for she didn't relax like he hoped she would. "You don't yet understand the way our bond works," he explained. "We are connected in more than blood, as I have already told you. In such a union as this, there is also a bonding of the souls."

Meryl gave him a confused look from under her bangs.

"In time of intense moments, like mental anguish or physical pain, the feelings are transferred to the partner as well. So in a way, your pain is mine as well. And that is also why you must be strong and obedient, for the both of us."

A question sprang to her mind at his last sentence and she couldn't help but voice it aloud in a shaky voice, "Then why did you change me, if it meant risking yourself?" The man didn't seem to like any type of weakness and Meryl was surprised that he had turned her instead of just leaving her alone.

His face grew serious at her query. "A mate is born only once in a vampire's life. If they are not turned then the vampire will fade away as the mortal mate does. The bond from birth is a close one, and there is no way to avoid it."

More tears sprang to her eyes. He'd only wanted her so he didn't have to die? Knowing that only tolled more on her already frail condition.

Knives must have picked up on that last thought, however, as he suddenly gripped her chin and directed her attention to him.

"I will not lie to you," he told her honestly, "if you hadn't been my mate, then I would never have known you even existed." A sob escaped her at the harsh words before he finished speaking. "But that was not the case, my dear, and now that I have you, I will never let you go. No one will ever take you away from me."

His last words held the utmost sincerity and Meryl felt strangely warmed by his possessiveness. Maybe he did care for her in some small, strange way of his own. At least, that was what she hoped. If not, then Meryl had no idea how she would survive eternity with him.


	7. Destination

A/N: Another chapter. I know the last chapter was...strange, but I'm kind of glad that the chapter invoked the reader's emotions. Unfortunately, this will probably be my last chapter for awhile. School is evil and I find that my time to write is next to nothing. I will try to get another chapter up as soon as I can. As always, thanks to those who reviewed.

Chapter Seven: Destination

Now finished with their talk, both rose and after Meryl had cleaned herself up, they walked out the door. A servant was waiting for them and led the two vampires to the dining room.

The eating area was just as decorative as the rest of the manor, with a large chandelier over the long table. Only the three of them were dining and Sena sat at the head with Knives on his right and Meryl sitting next to him.

They only had wine glasses set before them, obviously filled with blood.

Meryl glanced apprehensively at the container, but at a look from Knives she took a polite sip.

Count Sena took a large gulp of the liquid and set down his glass. "So, Lord Knives, how long will I have the pleasure of your company at my home?" The young vampiress could tell that he wasn't simply asking out of politeness. It was obvious that he disliked Knives and vice versa. She didn't doubt that he would have expelled him from his house by now, but for reasons she didn't know, he couldn't.

"We will be leaving tomorrow evening," was his cold reply. "The ceremony is to be held within a month's time and preparations must be made."

"Of course," Count Sena agreed. He casually leaned back in his chair. "It might have been long ago that I took my bride, but I still remember all the arrangements that had to be made."

Knives narrowed his eyes at him as he took another sip of blood. "Indeed."

"Yes," he continued in a reminiscent tone, "I believe I was only in my two-hundredth year when I found her." He glanced at Knives slyly. "How old are you, Lord Knives? Well above a thousand, I'd say."

He slammed down his glass abruptly, causing Meryl to jump in her chair.

His tone was frosty. "And as you can see, age doesn't matter, does it?"

It was more of a threat than a question and Sena simply nodded in agreement. As for Meryl, she was in shock. She'd known that Knives was old, but over a thousand years! She couldn't even imagine living for a century, let alone a millennia. His behavior toward being reminded of his age also seemed strange to her.

Sena spoke up again, wisely steering the subject away from ages. "Where is the happy occasion to be held?"

His tone was sarcastic and Knives gave him a warning look, but answered anyway. "The ceremony will take place at Seeds."

Sena raised an eyebrow at his response. "Really? I thought that you'd vowed never to go back there."

"What I decide is none of your concern." Meryl shivered at the frostbitten tone he used. Even Sena, who had been undeterred thus far by Knives, saw that he'd gone too far. Knives looked mad enough to kill the upstart.

He glared at the young vampire for a second longer before turning to Meryl. "It is time to retire," he said, holding out his hand for her.

She obediently took it and let him lead her back to their room, not bothering to wait for an escort. Meryl could feel the rage still radiating off of him, even as they reached the door. The grip he had on her hand was painful, but she didn't want to add to his anger and kept silent.

Once inside their apartments he sullenly let go of her and strode over to stand in front of the roaring fire.

Meryl bit her lip indecisively as she watched him stand there. She figured that she should do something to calm him down. After all, as his bride wasn't that what she was supposed to do?

So, she slowly walked up to him, careful not to startle the vampire. When she reached him, Meryl simply stood next to him, not really knowing what to do.

He solved the problem himself. Without looking at her, Knives stretched an arm out and softly ran a hand through her hair. The act seemingly being as therapeutic for him as for her. The tension that had hung in the air evaporated. A few minutes later, Knives sighed and turned to her.

Much to Meryl's relief, he looked much calmer. He dropped his hand and sat in the chair behind him, motioning for her to come toward him. Still wary of his mood, she carefully stepped up to him.

With gentle hands, he reached for her and brought her onto his lap. The young woman was still not used to such cuddling and her body tensed. She was sitting sideways in his lap, her head laying against his chest.

"Relax," he whispered into her hair as he nuzzled the top of her head. She tried to do as he said, her tired body releasing its tension. It had been a long night for the young vampire.

They sat like that for a long while, until Knives shifted.

"It is almost dawn," he told the half-asleep Meryl. She mumbled a few unintelligible words and snuggled closer in response.

Knives felt a hint of a smile form on his face at her behavior. She could be such a little spitfire one moment, and then docile the next.

Careful not to jostle her, he picked her up in his arms and walked over to the bed. Laying her on the soft bedding, he saw that one of her eyes had opened sleepily and was staring at him curiously.

"No coffin?" she asked in a soft, sleep-filled voice.

He slid in next to her and reached for a small button at the head of the bed. A click resounded and the top of the four post bed began to descend.

Meryl's eyes were wide with surprise and she looked back at Knives.

"A bed coffin," he explained as he too lay down to rest.

--------------------------------------

The next night, the couple awoke and quickly made ready to leave. Meryl had no idea how much longer they had to travel, but she guessed that there was still some way until they reached the "Seeds" place Knives had spoken of last night.

She had been pondering over what he had been talking about and had decided that if he was in a good mood, she would ask him about it. Meryl had always liked to be on top of things, instead of mindlessly following after others.

They said a quick goodbye to their host, though Meryl was the only one to actually say anything. Knives simply tilted his head slightly in farewell.

After they had been traveling for a few hours in peaceful silence, Meryl broached the subject of their destination.

"Where exactly is it we're going, Knives?" she inquired carefully.

He didn't even look at her and Meryl had thought he hadn't heard her and was going to repeat herself when he heaved an annoyed sigh.

"We are heading to my ancestral home, Seeds." His tone was bored, but Meryl could tell that there was more to the story behind this home of his. He had stopped speaking and was again staring at the passing scenery. Since he wasn't going to explain further, Meryl decided that she would have to ask further questions.

"Why is it called 'Seeds'?" she asked curiously, leaning forward to try and catch his eye.

"The tradition is that the first vampire in existence was born there," he said in a clipped tone. "The name refers to the beginning, or seed, of the vampire species."

The finality in his voice killed any further questions Meryl might have asked.

The next few days continued in a like manner. Sometimes they would stay at the large estate of a fellow vampire, or at times they would room in a hotel that catered specifically to their kind.

They had been steadily moving closer to the mountains and the meadows eventually completely disappeared, replaced by pine forests. The air was cooler as well and the roads were rockier.

On the sixth day of their travels, Knives was testier than usual. Meryl didn't dare do anything to upset him, fearing he would punish her for the smallest of reasons.

It was around midnight when the carriage broke through a particularly dark forest and out into a meadow. Surprised to see an open field, Meryl leaned farther out of her window and looked around.

What immediately caught her attention was the hill looming ahead of them. It wasn't the hill per say that she was looking at. It was the immensely large castle that sat proudly atop the mound that she had spotted.

The sight brought a gasp to her lips and she turned to Knives, wondering if he'd seen it as well. She found him also looking at the structure as well. He had a set frown on his face and his eyes held a determined gleam.

Somewhat disturbed by the look on his face, she returned her attention to the castle they were approaching.

The landscape was deceiving and the carriage took longer to reach the structure then she thought it would.

The gates were wide open and the vehicle rolled into the spacious courtyard, coming to a stop before the two massive front doors.

Both of them alighted from the carriage, Meryl staring at her surroundings in awe. The entire structure was made of massive rocks and looked more like boulders. But even though the place was obviously heavily fortified, there was beauty as well. The fountain sitting in the middle of the square was made of white marble with exquisitely fashioned statues.

Knives directed her attention from the scenery by grabbing her arm and leading her up the steps. As they reached the doors, they swung open, as if by themselves.

The interior was just as beautiful as the exterior. A marble staircase dominated the front hall and elegant rugs decorated te floors and walls. There were many hallways branching out from the large room. With the large amount of passages, Meryl knew that she was going to get lost within this place.

A noise caught her attention and she watched as a blond-headed blur flew down the stairs and straight at Knives. When the dust cleared, she saw Knives being intensely hugged by someone who looked a lot like him.

"Brother!" the other man yelled happily.

"Brother" didn't look too happy and Knives pried the blubbering man off of himself.

"Control yourself, Vash," he told his lookalike.

Meryl was completely confused. Just who was this man?

At that moment the person in question glanced her way and took a long look at her. He did indeed look very much like Knives, the only differences being their eye and hair color. A sly look appeared on his face and Meryl smiled timidly at him.

He turned back to Knives and clapped him hard enough on the back to knock the air out of him; if there would have been air, that is.

"So you finally found someone, eh, Knives?" he asked teasingly

Knives growled and pushed the man out of his way, stepping up to Meryl.

It looked to Meryl more like he was more annoyed than angry with the other person's pestering.

"I have," he answered. "Vash, meet Meryl Stryfe. Meryl, this is my twin brother Vash."

The vampiress blinked in surprise; until now she'd had no idea that he had a brother, or any family at all for that matter.

Knives' brother walked up to her and gave her an affectionate hug. She returned it slowly, feeling awkward. He released her and stepped back, staring at her with unnerving intensity.

She gazed back and after a few moments he looked at Knives, that seemingly perpetual smile on his face.

"You're a lucky one, Knives," he told his brother.

Knives nodded in agreement and Meryl stared confusedly between the two. _'What a strange family . . . ,'_ she thought to herself.


	8. Meeting the Family

A/N: I'm on a roll! I can't believe I'm updating both _Roommates_ and this story! Anyway, I hope you'll all forgive me for the long wait. Enjoy the chapter!

If you haven't read the fanfic _Dark Convergence_, go and read it! A great story by two great authoresses.

Disclaimer: How I wish...But I don't own Trigun!

Chapter 8: Meeting the Family

Any further conversation was interrupted by the sound of someone gasping. All three vampires turned their attention to the staircase Vash had come down.

Standing on the last step was a beautifully dressed woman with long, coal-black hair that fell to her waist. The dark red dress complimented her soft features and Meryl felt that the woman before her was someone that she could grow to like, if given time. At this moment her looks were that of someone stricken with a great shock. She had a hand covering her gaping mouth and her eyes were wide with surprise.

She took a tentative step down onto the marble floor, tears beginning to cascade down her pale cheeks.

The woman stepped slowly toward the trio, finally stopping within an arms length of Knives.

"Knives . . . ?" she spoke in a soft, disbelieving tone. One shaky hand lifted to his face, as if to prove to herself that he was really standing in front of her.

Knives had stood as still as stone during the woman's entrance and continued to watch her with cold eyes. As she reached toward his face, he grasped her hand in a firm hold.

"Hello, mother." His tone was as frigid as his eyes.

His words stunned Meryl. By the way he was acting, she never would have guessed that the beautiful black-haired woman was his mother. He treated her as if she meant nothing to him. The young vampiress could find no hint of affection in him for the woman he had called 'mother'.

She could also read the hurt that radiated off of the woman at his harsh words.

The woman gave Knives a small smile and said, "It's good to have you home, Knives."

Meryl shifted slightly where she stood and the black-haired woman looked her way, noticing her for the first time. She withdrew her hand from Knives' now slack grip and approached Meryl.

"And who are you, my dear?" The woman asked Meryl in a friendly voice.

The answer came from Knives. "She is my bride, mother."

Knives' mother had turned to him at the sound of his voice and now she quickly gave her attention back to the young woman before her. Meryl gave her a shy and nervous smile, wondering how she would react.

Then the older woman's shone with a happiness that Meryl had not yet seen on the woman's face. This gave her a little hope that the woman would take kindly to her and Meryl's smile widened just a little bit more.

In a sudden move, Knives' mother grabbed Meryl's hands in hers, giving a gentle squeeze. "Is that true?" she asked Meryl, hope gleaming in her eyes.

Meryl gave her a small nod of her head and a light blush as her answer.

The older woman gave a joyous laugh that was pleasant to the ears. "And what is your name, my dear?"

"Meryl Stryfe . . . " she glanced at Knives for confirmation before continuing. His brief nod assured her she was correct. " . . . Saverem." And curtsied politely. Everyone back in the mansion had vaguely known his last name, though he preferred the title of 'Master'.

"Oh no. There's no need for formalities with me, daughter," she told the petit woman, beckoning her to rise. "It is all right for me to call you that, isn't it?" Meryl nodded her assent. "I am Rem Saverem, Knives' mother." Her tone held a hint of pride, but Meryl also noticed sorrow as well.

"Now, you have come here for your induction into vampiric society?" came the exuberant women's next question.

"Yes," Meryl answered, "but I don't really know what I need to do."

Another beautiful laugh escaped the elder vampire. "There's no need to worry, Meryl. Millie and I will be able to help you out with anything you might need."

"Millie?" Meryl questioned as Rem beckoned a young servant forward. Meryl hadn't even noticed that she'd been standing there.

The young woman was very tall, the small woman noticed. She also had long brown hair that was pulled back in a braid. On her face was a wide and inviting smile, giving Meryl the impression that this Millie was a very kind and gentle person.

"You called, Mistress?" she addressed Rem in a sweet tone.

"Yes, Millie." Rem indicated Meryl who stood next to her. "This is Meryl, Knives' bride and," she gave Meryl a happy smile, "my new daughter. I would like you to see to her needs while she is here."

The girl called Millie turned to Meryl with a low curtsy. "It will be my pleasure to serve you, young mistress."

Meryl felt embarrassed. She was still used to being in the role of servant.

"Could you just call me Meryl?" the petite woman asked. "I'm still not used to this sort of thing," she explained.

"Sure!" came the exuberant reply.

"Are you quite finished here?"

The cool voice so close to her made Meryl jump and spin around. Knives was right behind her, though she had no idea when he'd gotten there. She hadn't heard him come up.

Meryl realized he'd asked a question. "Yes," she nodded.

"Then I propose that we retire," he looked to his mother. "It was a long journey and we require rest."

"Of course. Your luggage has already been sent to your room." Rem gave Knives a tentative smile, then turned to Meryl. "We must talk again when you are rested."

"That would make me very happy," the small woman replied. She then followed Knives as he took her arm and led her up the staircase, obviously knowing where he was going.

Meryl was dazzled by the elegance of the mansion. There were exquisite paintings and tapestries on the walls and the carpets beneath their feet, though somewhat worn, still displayed a wide range of beautiful colors and designs. The items in this place far outshone the ones that she'd grown up with.

After a few minutes of walking, Knives stopped them before a door that to Meryl looked like every other one they'd passed.

The twin doors opened on their own. Meryl was used to such occurrences and was not shocked like she would have been before her change.

The first room was lavishly decorated and another door was open and she could see the bedroom beyond. Their trunks were already unpacked, including the items Knives had bought her on the way here. Her old clothing was completely unsuitable to him and he had gone about buying her dresses and gowns made of expensive material.

Meryl had balked at the prices, but wisely kept silent. Knives had so far not cared about her input and she'd doubted he would have listened to her then.

She felt Knives let go of her arm and turned to watch him walk over and stand in front of the fire that had been kindled in the large fireplace.

Before, she would have ventured over to see what was bothering him, but she was tiring of these mood swings of his. A person could only take so much before they were fed up, and Meryl was beyond her limits.

The feistiness that had been a large part of her before her transformation came back full force. Let him mope, she thought, and walked into the large bedroom. She'd expected to see a coffin lying around somewhere and was surprised when there was none to be found.

Meryl sat on the bed with a sigh, confused and tired from everything that had been happening in her life lately. The four-post bed was large with a heavy-looking top.

Something small bumped into her hand and Meryl looked to see what appeared to be a small button. Curious as to what it did, she pushed it and waited. For a few seconds nothing happened, then there came a sound, such as metal grinding against metal.

She looked around, bewildered. Then she happened to glance upward. The top of the bed was moving down, toward her!

In a quick movement in order to not get her legs cut off, silently praying that she wouldn't be crushed, she moved further up the bed.

Just as it seemed to her like she would be flattened into a pancake, the bed stopped moving. Not a single ray of light could be seen from the inside of her prison.

The machinery suddenly kicking into gear again made her jump in surprise.

As soon as she was able, Meryl sat up and found Knives standing at the end of the bed. He had a slightly mocking grin on his face that made her blood boil and her face flush in shame. The man had known about the darn thing and had not told her about it!

She wanted to jump off the bed and wipe that smirk off of his face, but she remembered what had happened the last time she'd done something drastic with him. Instead, she opted to ask him about the bed.

"What is this thing?" Her voice had a curt edge to it and Knives narrowed his eyes at her in a silent warning.

She said nothing further, but the look on her face was mutinous.

"This," he told her as he casually leaned against one of the posts, "is a bed coffin. They are more comfortable and safer than a regular coffin. The lid is automated and made of steel. Almost impenetrable."

"If they're so great, then why don't you have one at the mansion?" Meryl knew she was walking on thin ground, using such a demanding tone with Knives.

His stance was more strained, as he was holding himself back, but he made no move toward her. "A normal coffin has much more variability. I hardly stay in one area long enough for such a permanency."

At his admission Meryl felt a hint of pity for him. Such a caravan lifestyle would be a very lonely existence for a person. "You could have warned me at least," she said, but with considerably less bite.

It was that hint of pity in her voice that finally pulled a reaction out of Knives. Before Meryl had any time to prepare for it, Knives was on top of her, pressing her into the mattress with his body.

He quickly subdued her struggling body, her hands he grabbed and held above her head in one of his own.

His eyes were fierce as they bore down into hers. Knives' face was so close to Meryl's that their noses were touching. When he spoke, his voice was rough with anger.

"Don't," he growled. "Don't even _think_ about pitying me. Save it for someone who needs it."

At first his actions and voice terrified her, but as she realized that he was trying to intimidate her, her anger came forth like a wildfire.

Her struggles renewed with a force and even Knives found himself using an ample amount of his strength to subdue her.

Eventually Meryl lay back with a frustrated sound, her eyes closed and breathing hard from her exertion. She opened her eyes and gazed at Knives. Much to her surprise she found a small amount of shock and . . . something . . . written on his features.

"So the little kitten has some fangs after all . . . " he seemed to murmur to himself.

His comment seemed to give her more energy and began thrashing anew, attempting to push him off of her. This time, instead of simply using brute strength, Knives tried a new tactic.

He kissed her.

Meryl stilled in shock and Knives took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, parting her lips with his own and dipping his tongue into her mouth.

The kiss was firm but gentle, something Meryl had never thought Knives capable of.

When he finally pulled away, Meryl was flushed and her eyes were wide as saucers. His face was one of smug satisfaction.

"I knew I'd made the right choice in choosing you."


	9. Making Plans

A/N: Okay, I know it's been practically forever since I updated this story. Shame on me! I simply got caught up in writing _Roommates_ and doing other stuff and this story sort of got caught on the back burner. But now I'm back! And hopefully the chapters to come will come much faster.

Disclaimer: Haven't really done a disclaimer for every chapter, so this one will count for those and any that are to come. Here goes. Ahem,I do not own Trigun. There.

* * *

Chapter 9: Making Plans

Meryl felt her anger boil as Knives pushed himself off of the bed. She quickly sat up in an angry huff.

He was so presumptuous! The man acted as if she wanted him to dominate her!

In reality, it was in Meryl's nature to stand up for herself. She wasn't one to let people get away with trying to order her around or force her to do things she didn't want to do.

The young vampiress watched as Knives walked out of the room without glancing back. Her jaw tightened as her temper flared. Meryl couldn't imagine being bonded to _that_ man for the rest of her existence.

She sighed and decided to dwell on such depressing thoughts later. Meryl looked around the bedroom and spotted a closet. Sliding off the bed she went and opened the doors of the walk-in closet, exposing rows upon rows of clothes.

Before, when she'd been a servant, Meryl had very few outfits and those had been plain.

The ones she was staring at were nothing like them. They were all frills and lace, showing much more skin than she was used to or comfortable with.

A blush warmed her cheeks as she pulled out a skimpy nightgown. The material was a sheer, light blue, and reached to just above her knees.

After making sure that there was nothing less revealing in the closet, she resigned herself to the nightgown and stripped off everything except for her underclothing. She slipped on the flimsy piece of cloth, amazed at how soft it felt against her skin.

Her hand slid down over the material at her waist. She walked over to a nearby full length mirror and looked at her reflection.

Meryl was surprised by what she saw. The gown outlined her female curves and figure, giving her a seductive look.

Never before had she thought of herself as a beautiful, but the image before her brought a flush of joy to her face.

With light steps she walked over to the bed. The large mattress held more than enough room for two people. Staring at it caused Meryl to remember the other person that would be occupying the space.

Remembering all the other times she'd had to spend sleeping together with Knives sent a shiver racing down her spine. The man was cold and ruthless, caring about nothing but himself. Knowing that he'd held her in such an intimate embrace sickened her. If she'd been able to choose someone to share her life with it would have been someone the complete opposite of the vampire lord.

She felt the tears that she'd been holding inside roll down her cheeks. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she wept for what her life had become. All of her dreams had been replaced by a horrible nightmare, with no end in sight.

Suddenly she was furious. Meryl was angry at having had her life taken away from her, at her own inability to change her situation, and especially at Knives. All of her current problems revolved around him.

Her anger gave her courage and she made a silent promise that from now on she would not be timid and weak. Never again would she be bullied by her soon-to-be husband. She would stand up for herself and face her new life with determination and dignity.

The first thing she would need to do, Meryl decided as she made a mental list, was to learn more about the life of a vampire. She knew very little about vampire's abilities aside from whispered rumors and what she herself had already seen. The limited amount Knives had told her and his seeming reluctance told Meryl that she would need to find out the information from another source.

Immediately his mother came to mind. The older woman had already offered to tell her about the wedding ceremony, so maybe she would be willing to answer the other questions she had. Meryl sincerely hoped that tomorrow they could have some time together, preferably without Knives around. She wasn't sure what his reaction would be to her quest for knowledge.

_'Probably wants to keep me completely ignorant so he can control me,'_ she thought darkly.

With a nod of satisfaction at her plan she leapt from the bed and went back to the closet, changing into a nightgown. The young vampiress slipped into bed and grabbed the control that operated the lid. She debated for only a second about whether she should leave the top up or down, wondering if Knives would be back soon or not at all.

She huffed at her own thoughts. From now on he would have to learn that she wasn't going to wait on him like a little slave.

Meryl pressed the button and laid back, watching as the lid slowly dropped.

By the time the top had closed she was fast asleep.

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The next evening she woke up to a familiar face. Knives must have come back sometime after she'd fallen asleep and slipped into bed. Though Meryl was wondering how he'd managed to open the coffin-bed without waking her. She was pretty sure that even as a vampire she wasn't that heavy of a sleeper.

The young woman shrugged that question aside for another time, maybe she could ask Rem later today. For now, extracting herself from Knives' arms was her top priority.

With careful maneuvering she managed to wriggle out of his grasp without so much as a snore from the sleeping vampire. Meryl mused that he'd probably been out late(or early) doing God-knew-what.

_'He's probably a philanderer,'_ she decided as she looked around for the control while trying to keep from knocking her head on the lid. She spotted the tiny device on the other side of Knives. _'All men like him are playboys,'_ the young vampire continued in her head. '_Mortal or not, such men use their looks and positions to gain favors from women. And with Knives' aloof and arrogant attitude, he's probably had dozens of mistresses.'_

The thought brought a sharp pain in her chest, but she ignored it. She didn't believe for a second that Knives would take his marriage vows seriously, that is, if vampires made vows like humans. She might as well get used to an empty marriage bed...

Meryl reached over the prone body next to her, keeping her body from touching his. Her fingers had just grazed the control when Knives decided to move around in his sleep. The move caught her off balanced and she fell on him with a sound of surprise.

A body impacting his was finally enough to wake up the vampire. He opened his eyes to find Meryl laying across his stomach. One eyebrow raised in silent question.

She caught his look and stretched out her arm, quickly grabbing the control and pressing the button. As the lid raised Meryl scampered off of him and the bed, allowing Knives to sit up and give a large yawn, showing off his long canines.

The young woman didn't look behind her as she slowly strode off to the walk-in closet, trying to project an uncaring air. She didn't stop until the doors were firmly closed behind her. Only then did Meryl let out the shaky breath she'd had been holding. The young woman leaned against the doors and tried to calm down.

Being around Knives always unnerved her, especially when she woke up to him every evening.

And that she could no longer allow.

The vampiress had come to the conclusion last night that allowing him to intimidate her in any way was counterproductive to her new goals. If she was to become a stronger person, she would need to learn to control herself better. Losing her cool under any circumstances wouldn't help her.

She kept saying that to herself as she went about choosing her wardrobe for the day. Meryl silently congratulated herself for remembering the styles that ladies typically wore. Even when Knives had not been at his mansion, other vampire lords and ladies had availed themselves of his mansion while on their way elsewhere. It was a common courtesy amongst the upper class of vampire society.

Meryl had just picked out what to wear when she heard the doors behind her open.

She tried to keep up her nonchalant attitude but she knew that the stiffness of her body gave her away. Nothing made it passed his sharp eyes.

"Not even a 'good evening' for your fiance?"

His voice was more than slightly mocking, and she felt her hackles rise. He was baiting her, she knew it, but that didn't mean that she could help her instinctual reaction to lash out at him.

With arms crossed she turned to look at him. "Maybe it isn't a 'good evening', as you called it."

He wore nothing more than a pair of white pants and a shirt to match with the buttons undone. The sight of his bare and muscled chest unnerved her. Certainly she'd been around the workers in the field when they'd taken off their shirts in the heat. Knives, though, was different. Not only was he to be her husband, but she could feel _something_ from him. It made her heart race, when he sometimes got a peculiar look in his eyes when he was gazing at her.

Like right now.

She had the sense, as he slowly walked toward her, of being the prey and him the predator. His fluid strides were like that of a wild creature, lithe and graceful; not making any noise at all.

She felt her back hit one of the closet doors and she tried to put distance between his approaching form and herself.

Her eyes locked with his and Meryl felt trapped by the icy gaze.

As he reached her, he placed his hands, palms flat, against the wall beside her head.

"It would not be wise to ignore me, my dear."

The vampiress knew that to rebuke him would be madness, so she said nothing.

One hand slid along the wall until it moved to cup her cheek. "What, so quiet all of a sudden? I do so love to see you spitting angry. So where is that little spitfire?"

Meryl was highly insulted by both his words and his mocking tone. But she remembered her promises to herself and kept her temper in check.

"I'm not going to fall for your trap, Knives."

His eyes narrowed fractionally and he stepped back, his hands falling away.

Pure arrogance colored his voice. "I see. So you believe that you can play with me." He leaned forward slightly. "Let me warn you this once, my dear, that this is a game that you will not win."

She stood up straighter and with as much dignity as she could muster. "We'll just see about that, won't we?"

"Indeed we will." He answered back.

Knives slowly turned his back on her and walked out of the closet, not looking back once.

Meryl sagged against the sturdy wall behind her and let out a shuddering breath. This marriage of hers would be the death of her, again.


	10. MotherInLaw

A/N: It's been over HALF A YEAR since I updated pales I'm SO sorry. But lately school's been very time-consuming or else I would have gotten this up sooner.

A big thanks to Lauren for saying such nice things about my site. Please go visit it! There's a link through my profile. And leave a comment!

And also for those who continue to show interest in this story, thanks! I'll try to get the next chapter up quicker.

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**Chapter 10: Mother-In-Law**

Meryl had known that Knives' mother was very much unlike her son, but what a difference!

When she had come down to dinner alone, at the bottom of the staircase had stood Rem.

She'd looked absolutely beautiful in a flowing white dress that clung to her shoulders, chest, and hips. The tiny train on the back looked difficult to maneuver with, but she did it with both poise and elegance.

Beside her stood Vash and another man she didn't know standing just behind him. The twin wore a white shirt with a black vest and pants. His hair, as she was figuring out, was in it's usual gravity-defying style.

The man behind him wore a priest's outfit, except that the collar was missing from around his neck.

Across from them, on the other side of Rem, stood Millie, dressed in a maid's uniform.

The young vampiress had been extremely nervous about meeting her, but the smile on Rem's face soon extinguished any fear she had. Her eyes had been kind and understanding. Meryl had felt as if this woman could understand everything that she'd been through and sympathize with her plight. It was a comforting thought.

The young lady couldn't help but smile back at her as she descended the stairs.

"A good evening to you, Meryl," the beautiful lady greeted her. Millie curtsied in greeting and the two men bowed. She nodded to them all, the same words that had so angered her when Knives had said them not disturbing her in the least. She knew that Rem, unlike Knives, meant them.

"And to you, as well," she answered back brightly.

Rem fondly grasped Meryl's hand and directed her to the unknown man. "I'd like you to meet someone. This is Vash's personal servant and bodyguard, Nicholas D. Wolfwood."

Meryl curtsied, as was proper. Wolfwood inclined his head, his dark eyes assessing her. She felt a shiver crawl up her spine. This was a man she did not want as her enemy. There was something almost...primal about him. Though, the young woman had to admit to herself, he didn't scare her as much as Knives' servant.

"My lady."

Speaking of the devil...

The vampiress turned and saw that as she'd been making Wolfwood's acquaintance, the very man she'd been thinking of-Legato, was it?-had come in from the dining room.

He cooly regarded her with his yellow eyes. "Yes?" she hesitantly inquired.

Legato gave a curt bow. "The master awaits your presence for supper." Just when her evening had been going so well...

"Splendid," Rem spoke from besides her. "Could you tell him that she will be there shortly? I would like to discuss a matter of importance with her first."

The blue-haired man gave another short bow and departed. Meryl had no idea what her mother-in-law was speaking about, but was nonetheless happy to see the creepy man leave.

"If you'll all excuse us."

Rather quickly Meryl found herself being led into the adjoining parlor, Rem's hand on her back insistent. Once they were through the door, the older woman promptly closed it behind them.

Slowly she moved to look at Knives' bride-to-be. In her eyes Meryl saw a great deal of sadness, but caused from what she had no idea. For several moments they stood there, staring at each other. Finally, not able to take the silence, Meryl asked, "You wanted to speak with me...?"

A sad smile, barely a tilt of the lips, appeared on Rem's face. "Yes, I did." She indicated a nearby chaise that stood nearby. The room appeared to be a parlor, with delicate furnishings and tasteful decorations.

Obediently Meryl sat down on the piece of furniture and watched as the older woman did the same. They faced each other, and Rem reached over and took Meryl's hands in hers. The long-haired woman's eyes were kind and full of understanding.

"You did not join my son by choice, did you?"

Averting her eyes, Knives' bride shook her head.

"It's alright," Rem said softly, giving her hands a tender squeeze. "I know how Knives can be. His hatred is only exceeded by his possessiveness."

Meryl looked up curiously. "His...hatred?" She'd only really been around him for the last week or so, but she had seen no indication of such.

"So you don't know..." The matron bit her lip, an obvious sign that she was nervous. Finally she said, "I don't believe it's my place to tell you. It's best that you see and judge for yourself."

Meryl really wanted to question Rem further, but felt that to do so would put her in a tough spot. The older woman already appeared distressed over telling her that little bit of information.

"But that's not why I called you here." Her face lit up and in spite of everything, Meryl felt her spirits rise as well. "I thought that maybe you might have some questions for me? Something you might need to know?"

The suggestive hint in her words caused a stain of red to color her cheeks.

"Nothing to be shy about, my dear. Every woman goes through this once in their lifetime." Rem laughed. "I can't tell you how nervous I was on my wedding night!"

"Well," Meryl began, "I wanted to ask you about something, but not," she waved one hand feebly, "_that_."

"Oh?"

The young woman shifted in her seat. Adopting the no-nonsense attitude that had helped her earlier with Knives, she said, "Yes. I was hoping you could tell me how I am supposed to act. I know very little of vampire customs," she explained, "and even less of how to act like a lady."

"I did say that I would help you, didn't I?" At Meryl's nod she continued. "But I'm afraid that we do not have the time right now." She let go of the other woman's hands and stood. Meryl did the same. "Dinner is no doubt waiting on our arrival and Vash can get so very hungry," she told the young vampiress with a giggle, leading the way to the door.

Meryl smiled as well, feeling lighter than she had in a long time.

"How about we begin your lessons after the meal?" Rem inquired as she turned the handle. "We could even have Millie assist us."

"That sounds wonderful," Meryl told her sincerely as she stepped into the entry hall.

In companionable silence they crossed the room to the opposite doorway. There two servants obediently opened the doors and then closed them behind the pair.

Inside there was a long, large table made of solid wood, hand-decorated with beautiful scrawling. The chairs were carved in the same fashion and above it all rested a large glass chandelier, lit up by a multitude of candles. A large window covered one wall, while expensive and colorful paintings filled up the rest of the wall space.

Knives was the first of the group to see them. He stood off to the side, by the large window with a beautiful view of the lawn. Outside all was dark, except for a sliver of moonlight that peaked out from behind some clouds.

His eyes narrowed suspiciously at the two women as he sipped from his champagne glass. Meryl, in deference to him being her fiancé, walked up to the man and addressed him. "Good evening, Knives."

In response he lifted another glass that rested on the windowsill and handed it to her. Red liquid sloshed within and Meryl knew that it was blood. She glanced up and found Knives watching her with an attentive stare. It dawned on her that this was a test, something she could choose to overcome herself or he would do it for her.

Well, she wasn't going to let him lead her around anymore. With a determined tilt of her chin she took the glass and forced herself to casually take a sip. Even with her revulsion for what she was doing, Meryl couldn't help but enjoy the taste on her palate.

Even as her stomach turned with disgust, she reminded herself that this was her life now.

Her gaze traveled around the room, over Vash and Wolfwood who were laughing over some unknown joke, to Rem who was conversing with the servant Millie. Maybe she was asking her about their meeting after dinner?

Movement at her side directed her attention back to Knives, who had shifted so that he faced her. One eyebrow rose imperiously. "Are there any problems?"

She blinked. "No..."

He sent her a suspicious glance, but said nothing.

Before Meryl could question his strange behavior she heard Rem's jovial voice, "Alright, everyone. Time for supper."

Vampires they were, but that did not mean they couldn't enjoy food like humans. The substance simply no longer gave them the nutrients they needed to survive.

Everyone seated themselves as was proper. Rem, as the matriarch, sat at the head with Vash on Knives on either side. Wolfwood and Meryl where then beside them. Dinner was a jovial affair, regardless of Knives' refusal to join in the conversation, giving mono-syllable answers when anyone addressed him.

Knowing that the lessons, what she thought of as a way to gain control of her life, would be after

the meal, Meryl gaily watched Vash and Wolfwood fight over the large platters of food. She thought it strange that a servant was allowed to eat with them, Legato stood behind Knives' chair the entire time, but did not voice her question out loud.

Besides, she thought as they dueled with forks over a piece of stake, they were much too enjoyable. So Meryl spent the time eating and watching the two children across the table, interspersed with conversations with Rem. They talked of nothing important, only of Meryl's general background, where she came from, what did she do before Knives changed her.

The table was filled with food and their glasses were full of blood. And from the look of the two men opposite her, it was possible for vampires to have too much of the liquid. Their voices had gotten progressively louder as they imbibed more and more. If she didn't know any better, Meryl could have sworn they were drunk!

The clock read 2:00 a.m. when everyone rose and left the dining room. As they stepped into the hall Rem turned to the men of the group. "Well, gentlemen. If you'll excuse Meryl and I, we'll leave you to your own devices."

The older woman link her arm with Meryl's and steered her toward the parlor they'd used earlier.

"Wait."

The voice demanded attention and both women turned and found that Knives had trailed after them. The other two males were still on the other side of the room, watching the proceedings.

"Yes, Knives?"

Said man barely gave his mother a glance, but kept his gaze on Meryl. Those blue eyes, so cold and merciless, stared into her own. He did not blink and she had the sudden feeling that he was looking _through_ her. She felt bare and open but couldn't seem to tear her eyes away.

Belatedly her mind realized that he was using whatever power he possessed over her to read her thoughts. Meryl felt herself falling into him until the connection was broken with a sudden and unexpected jolt.

She gasped and fell weakly against the woman at her side. Rem's arms came around her as the young vampiress' body shook from the force of what had just happened.

"Let me go."

The cold chill of those words caused her to look up. In front of her stood Knives but Vash had somehow appeared next to him, and was even now facing off with his brother, one hand grasping the other's forearm. But that last time she'd seen him he'd been across the room. How long had Knives and she been like that...?

"That's enough, Knives." The spiky-haired man let his twin go and stepped back.

"Do not tell me what to do, little brother." Knives sent him an anger-filled glare and then turned his back to him. With sure steps he walked up to them. "Give her to me, mother." His tone and stance dared the older woman to say 'no' to him.

Meryl had no idea what was going on, but at that moment she didn't want to be anywhere near that man. Gathering her courage, and firmly reminding herself that she wasn't going to be pushed around by him any longer, she spoke up.

"No, Knives." He set his frigid gaze on her and Meryl almost forgot what she was going to say. "I have some things to discuss with your mother."

Her tone was defiant and even though Knives kept a bored expression on his face, she could feel the anger in him brimming just beneath the surface. Time stood still as he seemed to mull over his options.

"...very well." His words conveyed victory to her, but his eyes promised retribution for her actions.

He took his leave of them in silence. As Meryl watched him walk up to the stairs to the second floor, she sighed in relief. But in her mind she knew that this was only the beginning.


End file.
